FRISCO, Texas — One trade was speculated for months and the other fell out of the sky like a meteor, and with a similar impact, as wide receiver AJ Brown and all-world defensive end Myles Garrett, respectively, were dealt to other teams on June 1. The moves changed then landscape of not just the NFL in general, but most definitely for the Dallas Cowboys.
Brown reunited with Mike Vrabel for the New England Patriots going forward, taking him out of the Cowboys' crosshairs entirely during the 2026 regular season.
One of the best receivers in the league, Brown was again set to square off against Dallas at least twice this year, once in Week 7 and again on Thanksgiving Day — the holiday game likely playing a massive role in ultimately determining this year's NFC East champion.
A three-time All-Pro, Brown was a perennial 1,000-yard receiver for Jalen Hurts, leaving Philly to figure out how they'll replace the production of someone who amassed 5,034 total receiving yards and 32 touchdowns while averaging nearly 15 yards per reception since arriving via trade with the Tennessee Titans in 2022.
The Eagles are banking largely on rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon combining with DeVonta Smith to answer that question, as they look to test the new-look and newly-led defense in Dallas that is headlined by All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs.
It bears mentioning that Smith and Lemon are of the same build, whereas Brown is often a far more difficult matchup for smaller defensive backs who are unable to out-physical him. That is to say, from a personnel matchup perspective, defensive coordinator Christian Parker may find less difficulty in trying to stop the passing attack of his former team.
Things just got a bit more challenging for the Cowboys' offense, however, thanks to the Los Angeles Rams striking a blockbuster deal to acquire Garrett, the reigning and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
A seven-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, Garrett was initially not scheduled to take on the Cowboys in 2026, but he is now, when head coach Brian Schottenheimer and All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott lead their offense into SoFi Stadium on Dec. 20 (Week 15).
It won't mark the first time Garrett has squared off against the Cowboys, but the quality of the team he's on has changed stratospherically, especially if speculation regarding a potential unretirement of future first ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald becomes real. But even if not, the Rams, already contenders yet again, just got far more difficult to wrangle.
And Dallas might actually get its first look at Garrett in a Rams uniform far ahead of Week 15 — seeing as the Rams and Cowboys have previously held joint practices in training camp, as recently as 2025. Though nothing is confirmed or official on that front as of yet, there remains a possibility Schottenheimer and Rams head coach Sean McVay opt to run it back in SoCal in 2026.
Two megatrades that instantly shifted the landscape of both the AFC and the NFC have, consequently, remolded the Cowboys' strength of schedule quite a bit in the process.
